Thin films
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Abstract
Thin films are formed by formed by atomic layer deposition, whereby the composition of the film can be varied from monolayer to monolayer during cycles including alternating pulses of self-limiting chemistries. In the illustrated embodiments, varying amounts of impurity sources are introduced during the cyclical process. A graded gate dielectric is thereby provided, even for extremely thin layers. The gate dielectric as thin as 2 nm can be varied from pure silicon oxide to oxynitride to silicon nitride. Similarly, the gate dielectric can be varied from aluminum oxide to mixtures of aluminum oxide and a higher dielectric material (e.g., ZrO2) to pure high k material and back to aluminum oxide. In another embodiment, metal nitride (e.g., WN) is first formed as a barrier for lining dual damascene trenches and vias. During the alternating deposition process, copper can be introduced, e.g., in separate pulses, and the copper source pulses can gradually increase in frequency, forming a transition region, until pure copper is formed at the upper surface. Advantageously, graded compositions in these and a variety of other contexts help to avoid such problems as etch rate control, electromigration and non-ohmic electrical contact that can occur at sharp material interfaces. In some embodiments additional seed layers or additional transition layers are provided.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1-30. -30. (canceled)
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31. A method of producing a liner layer, said method comprising:
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depositing a first layer via an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process onto a substrate, wherein the first layer comprises tungsten, nitrogen, and carbon;
depositing a second layer via an ALD process over the first layer, wherein the second layer comprises tungsten; and
depositing a third layer via an ALD process over the second layer, wherein the third layer comprises copper. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A graded liner layer in a damascene trench comprising:
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a first non-graded layer comprising a first compound;
a second non-graded layer, above said first non-graded layer, said second non-graded layer comprising a first metal, wherein between said first and second non-graded layers is a first transition layer comprising both the first compound and the first metal, and wherein the first transition layer has greater than 90% step coverage; and
a third non-graded layer, above said second non-graded layer, comprising a second metal, wherein between the second and third non-graded layers is a second transition layer comprising the first metal and the second metal, wherein the layers are located within a damascene trench. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A liner layer comprising:
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a first non-graded layer comprising a barrier compound;
a second non-graded layer, above said first non-graded layer, said second non-graded layer essentially consisting of tungsten; and
a third non-graded layer comprising a seed compound, wherein said third non-graded layer is above said second non-graded layer. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method of forming a thin film comprising:
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placing a substrate in a reaction chamber;
introducing a first, and a second vapor phase reactants in alternate and temporally separated pulses to the substrate in a plurality of first deposition cycles;
introducing varying amounts of a third vapor phase reactant and a fourth vapor phase reactant in a plurality of second deposition cycles, to the substrate during the plurality of first deposition cycles; and
introducing a fifth and a sixth vapor phase reactants in alternate and temporally separated pulses to the substrate in a plurality of third deposition cycles. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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Specification